Bracket construction for shelf displays



G. KRIKORIAN BRACKET CONSTRUCTION FOR SHELF DISPLAYS Filed Oct. 5, 1965 May 23, 1967 INVENTOR GEORGE KRIKORIAN BY W ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,321,089 BRACKET CONSTRUCTION FOR SHELF DISPLAYS George Krikorian, Worcester, Mass. Spencer Products Inc., 64 Main St., Spencer, Mass. 01562) Filed Oct. 5, 1965, Ser. No. 493,126 Claims. (Cl. 211134) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A shelf and supporting bracket wherein the bracket has a pair of spaced notches and the shelf is made of longitudinal parallel springy wires with cross wires securing them together, the longitudinal wires being sprung into the notches and moved to a position where the cross wires are close to the brackets so that a more positive gripping effect is produced due to the fact that the longitudinal wires are springy enough to snap into the notches but when the cross wires are brought then close to the brackets, the springiness is less noticeable and the wires are held in fixed spaced relation.

This invention relates to new and improved display shelves and particularly to brackets for holding the same in assembled condition, and the principal object of the invention resides in the provision of such a bracket which is made very simply but at the same time provides for a much firmer holding action of the shelf structure that it supports.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a wire shelf or the like in combination with brackets for holding it, said brackets being detachably mounted on upright supports or the like, wherein said brackets have a series of notches therein, said notches being spaced apart a distance slightly less or slightly greater alternatively than certain of the wires which go to make up the wire shelf, so that the wires must be sprung into these notches whereby they are very firmly held but easily detached.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in side elevation showing the relationship of a new bracket with respect to the wire shelf, parts being in section;

FIG. 2 is a plan view thereof on a reduced scale;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing a modification, and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view showing the notches.

There are many uses for inexpensive light-weight open wire shelving which usually comprise a boundary or perimeter wire extending along the front and the back of the shelf, and it may or may not have end wires. There are wires that connect the front and rear wires as well as intermediate spaced longitudinal wires going to make up an open wire support of light weight. This support requires brackets to hold it to a vertical support such as a wall, post or the like.

In illustrating the present invention, there is shown an upright support indicated by the reference numeral 10. This support is provided with holes therein at 12 for the reception of hook-like members 14 at the rear end portion of brackets 16. Each bracket 16 is elongated and is firmly held as shown by the hooks, or by any other means, in either permanent or take-down relationship with respect to the upright support or the like.

It will be clear that there are several of these brackets arranged in generally parallel spaced relationship for the 3,321,089 Patented Ma y 23, 1967 purpose of holding a wire shelf. This wire shelf is shown best in FIG. 2 and comprises a forward longitudinal wire member 18, a rear longitudinal wire member 20, there being inter-connecting cross wire members spaced as may be desired as shown at 22. These may or may not be at the ends of the shelf also to form an open frame.

Intermediate the front and rear wire members 18 and 20 there are a series of intermediate longitudinal wire members 24. These are usually connected by welding to the cross wires 22.

The bracket 16 is provided at its upper surface with a pair of reentrant notches which are indicated at 26 and 28. These notches extend above the top edge 30 of the bracket and face away from each other as shown in FIG. 1, although as shown in FIG. 3 they may extend below the top edge 32 of the bracket 34, which is similar otherwise to that at 16, and face toward each other as is indicated at 36, 38.

The distance separating the wires 24 normally is slightly less than the distance between the notches 26 and 28. In FIG. 3 the notches are slightly closer than is the separation of the wires 40, which correspond to those at 24, 24 except for the spacing thereof.

In order to assemble the wire shelf of FIG. 2 on a series of brackets 16, it is merely necessary to manually spring the wires slightly apart and snap them into the notches 26, 28. It will be seen that by this means the wire shelf is very firmly held in position due to its own inherent resilience. It is also simple enough to detach the shelf from the bracket by squeezing them past the horns 42, 44 which provide the undercut or reentrant notches 26 and 28 so as to release the wire members 24 from the notches and remove the wire tray or shelf from the brackets.

The opposite action of course is used to assemble and disassemble in FIG. 3. Springing the wires 40, 40 toward each other, they are snapped over the horns 46 and 48 forming the notches 36 and 38, so that they are firmly held in the notches due to their own resilience.

With the FIG. 1 construction, the brackets can be snapped onto the wires 24 without actually manually spreading them, and this action enables the wire shelving to be positioned where desired. That is, there may be additional longitudinal Wires 24, or the new brackets can accept wire 20 and a wire 24, for instance.

In either case, once the brackets are thus assembled relative to the wires, the brackets can be slid along to a point adjacent a cross wire 22, gradually increasing the pressure of the wires in the notches and thus obtaining a very tight and strong fit of the parts. However, any spacing desired as to supports 10, and thus the brackets, and the relative position of wires 22 is possible, while still holding the shelf in rigid, non-collapsing condition, and the shelves may be set up end to end in shorter sizes to any length of shelving desired.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do not wish to be limited to the details herein dis-closed, otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what I claim is:

1. A shelf and bracket therefor comprising an open wire frame including at least one pair of generally parallel longitudinal springy wires, cross wires connected thereto and spacing them apart a predetermined distance, the bracket comprising a rigid member including a pair of notches, the notches being spaced apart a distance different from the spacing of said longitudinal wire members, whereby said wire members can be sprung to be positioned in said notches, the wire shelf being held by its own inherent resilience with respect to said bracket in said notches, and said shelf being positioned with the cross wires adjacent the brackets where the springiness of the longitudinal wires is less and the grip on them greater.

2. The shelf and bracket of claim 1 wherein the notches are closer together than the normal spacing of the longitudinal wires.

3. The shelf and bracket of claim 1 wherein the notches are slightly farther apart than the normal spacing of said longitudinal wires.

4. The shelf and bracket of claim 1 wherein the notches are closer together than the normal spacing of the longitudinal wires, said notches being undercut and facing each other.

5. The shelf and bracket of claim 1 wherein the notches are slightly farther apart than the normal spacing of said longitudinal wires, said notches being undercut and facing away from each other.

Eustis 248-250 Dowell 248-239 Huet 1. 1081 14 Chesley 108137 Sedo 248242 Azar 248-68 10 CHANCELLOR E. HARRIS, Primary Examiner.

W. D. LOULAN, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A SHELF AND BRACKET THEREFOR COMPRISING AN OPEN WIRE FRAME INCLUDING AT LEAST ONE PAIR OF GENERALLY PARALLEL LONGITUDINAL SPRINGY WIRES, CROSS WIRES CONNECTED THERETO AND SPACING THEM APART A PREDETERMINED DISTANCE, THE BRACKET COMPRISING A RIGID MEMBER INCLUDING A PAIR OF NOTCHES, THE NOTCHES BEING SPACED APART A DISTANCE DIFFERENT FROM THE SPACING OF SAID LONGITUDINAL WIRE MEMBERS, WHEREBY SAID WIRE MEMBERS CAN BE SPRUNG TO BE POSITIONED IN SAID NOTCHES, THE WIRE SHELF BEING HELD BY ITS OWN INHERENT RESILIENCE WITH RESPECT TO SAID BRACKET IN SAID NOTCHES, AND SAID SHELF BEING POSITIONED WITH THE CROSS WIRES ADJACENT THE BRACKETS WHERE THE SPRINGINESS OF THE LONGITUDINAL WIRES IS LESS AND THE GRIP ON THEM GREATER. 